These Pickle Fritters take the viral recipe and amp it up! Dill pickles are mixed in a seasoned cornmeal batter and fried to crispy perfection.
My love for a dill pickle knows no bounds. And I’m not really ashamed to admit it. I mean if you search pickle in the search bar you’re going to find Dill Pickle Coleslaw, Pickle de Gallo, Fried Pickles, Dill Pickle Tartar Sauce, and Dill Pickle Deviled Eggs, just to name a few.
So when a dear friend clued me in to the pickle fritters going viral over on TikTok, I knew I had to try them. But I knew I could do better than Dollar Tree pickles and a box of fry mix.
I simply adapted my recipe for my Okra and Green Tomato Fritters and subbed in pickles – with a few other minor tweaks. The result… AMAZING!
They’re like fried pickles on steroids – crunchy, tangy, crispy.
I served them with my Best Ranch Dressing, but I bet these would be good with some comeback sauce or remoulade, too. Honestly, they don’t even really need a sauce. They’re just that good!
What ingredients go in pickle fritters?
Self-Rising Cornmeal: While it’s a staple in my house, I know not everyone keeps it on hand. I’ve included instructions below to be able to make your own self-rising flour. I’ve also included some valuable info about the differences between plain cornmeal, self-rising cornmeal, and cornmeal mix. In a pinch, you can sub both the self-rising cornmeal and the flour for 2 cups of cornmeal mix.
All-Purpose Flour: Standard, run-of-the-mill flour is just fine.
Garlic Powder: Garlic powder adds even more flavor to these. Granulated garlic works as well.
Sweet Onion: I’m partial to Vidalia onions, but any sweet onion will do. I think the sweetness is good here, but any onion will work in a pinch.
Dill Pickles: Now, I explained my passion for pickles. But that only extends to the dill kind. I’m not a sweet pickle fan. Could you use sweet pickles here? Probably, but I can’t imagine why you’d want to. 🤣 Any dill pickle will work, but I used Claussen for this recipe.
Egg: A large egg serves as the binder to hold all this together.
Buttermilk: We’re going to need some liquid here, so buttermilk seems like the likely choice for a little flavor and fat. Another milk should work; just keep in mind that regular milk will often be much thinner than buttermilk and you might require less of it.
How to Make Your Own Self-Rising Cornmeal
This recipe calls for self-rising cornmeal. Here are a few quick steps to create your own self-rising cornmeal at home:
For every 1 cup of self-rising cornmeal:
- Start with 1 cup of finely ground plain cornmeal in a bowl.
- Remove 1 tablespoon of the cornmeal and return it to the bag.
- To the bowl, add 1 tablespoon baking powder and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Mix together thoroughly.
What’s the difference between plain cornmeal, self-rising cornmeal, and cornmeal mix?
When you stroll down the baking aisle of your grocery store, chances are you’ll see a combination of different types of cornmeal. You’ll find plain cornmeal, self-rising cornmeal, and cornmeal mix or any combination of the three. The thing is, they’re each a little different and, in most cases, not really interchangeable in recipes. Let’s dive in a little more…
First, there’s plain cornmeal. It’s straightforward and honest – just ground dried corn, nothing more.
Then, we’ve got self-rising cornmeal. This one’s a bit more jazzed up, thanks to some added ingredients – baking powder and salt. Think of it as plain cornmeal that’s got a little extra oomph.
Last in line is the cornmeal mix. This one’s like the convenience king of the cornmeal world. Alongside the baking powder and salt, it brings flour into the mix.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups self-rising cornmeal
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ sweet onion finely diced
- 4 cups coarsely chopped dill pickles (about 8 pickle halves)
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil (for frying)
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Add the pickles and onion and toss to coat.
- In a small bowl lightly beat the egg into the buttermilk, and then add it to the pickle mixture. Stir until just combined.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat to about 350°F. Drop the pickle batter into the oil by heaping tablespoonsful. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, then flip the fritters and press them flat with the back of a spatula. Cook 4 to 5 more minutes or until crispy and golden brown. Cook in batches, adding more oil if necessary; then drain on paper towels, and serve hot with ranch dressing or another dip if desired.
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* If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
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Once made can these fritters be frozen to use at a later date?
I’ve not done that, but I can’t see why it wouldn’t work.
Could these be made in an air fryer?? How wet is the mixture? Thanks
I don’t have tons of air fryer experience, but I’m afraid these won’t hold together very well.
Now that’s the way to fry pickles yum 😋
Ha! Thanks, Sandy!
Can you make these pickle fritters in an air fryer?
You might need to add a little more flour or cornmeal to get the batter thicker, but I don’t see why not.
Stacey: This looks great. If I could, I would try it in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, I am allergic to cucumbers. I am sending it to a friend who loves pickles and makes her own.
I appreciate it, Kathy!